In 1912
Raymond Unwin, published a pamphlet
Nothing gained by Overcrowding. He worked on the influential
Tudor Walters Report of 1918, which recommended housing in short terraces, spaced at at a density of 12 to the acre. The
First World War indirectly provided a new impetus, when the poor physical health and condition of many urban recruits to the
army was noted with alarm. This led to a campaign known as
Homes fit for heroes. In 1919 the government, through the
Housing, Town Planning, &c. Act 1919 required councils to provide housing built to the Tudor Walters standards, helping them to do so through the provision of subsidies. London County Council embraced these freedoms and planned eight
cottage estates in the peripheries of London:
Becontree,
St Helier,
Downham,
Watling for example; seven further followed including
Bellingham. Houses were built on green field land on the peripheries of urban London. The Housing, Town Planning, &c. Act 1919 provided subsidies solely to local authorities and not to private builders. Many houses were built over the next few years in
cottage estates. Following the
Geddes Axe of 1922, the
Housing, &c. Act 1923 stopped subsidies going to council houses but did extend subsidies to private builders. The
first Labour government took office in 1924. The
Housing (Financial Provisions) Act 1924 restored subsidies to municipal housing but at a lower level. It failed to make any provision for the lower paid, who were living in the worse conditions, and could not afford to pay the higher rents of the new houses. Examples of these were built at the
Downham Estate in
London, Blocks of flats were also built. ==Design of the estates==